1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lanai system, and more particularly, to a system that utilizes a beam having improved strength and durability.
2. Description of the Related Art
From its infancy stages, the aluminum enclosure industry and patio screen enclosure roof systems were fabricated with a product known as I beams. Although these I beams were structurally sound in nature, there were several recurring application problems with this type of product. For example, the I beams were cumbersome to install, aesthetically unpleasing to the home owner, and sometimes the I beam could not be configured to all applications needed in the industry. The I beam product was ultimately replaced by a product known today as a box beam.
A typical prior art box beam is shown in FIG. 1 comprising two identical halves A and B. The halves simply overlapped as shown and were stitched or screwed together with a plurality of screws C to make one complete self-mating beam D.
One problem with the prior art box beams is a high failure rate during strong winds, especially hurricane-force winds. The box beam failed for many reasons, including the fact that the beam web was simply overlapped and laid on top of each other as illustrated in FIG. 1 with nothing to hold them together except the screw C.
Note that the fasteners only penetrated the thickness of the beams, which meant that the thread-engagement surface for the screws to bite or thread into was the wall thickness of the beam, thereby limiting strength, particularly with thin-walled beams.
It was also not uncommon that the fastener C would not be placed in the direct center of the beam during installation, but would cause a non-conforming attachment problem in that the securing strength would not be the same along the length of the beam.
During high winds or hurricane conditions, the webs edge of the historical box beam will deflect, causing and creating failure in the enclosure. Once this deflection occurs, the fasteners start to pull out of the web of the beam resulting in partial or complete enclosure failure or destruction.
Self-mating beams of the type shown in FIG. 1 are manufactured with the same standards, causing ongoing potential failures, especially as the beams get longer and have to carry heavier loads. Bigger and heavier beams have been created; however, the technology for extruding and installation of these products is the same, resulting in ongoing failures.
Some homeowners or builders are building larger and more dynamic pool enclosures and lanais with the same historical products, resulting in increased failure rates, especially during high winds in hurricane seasons.
Unfortunately, as enclosure sizes increase the box beams that were used to make the enclosures had to be made with much thicker and heavier extrusions in order to achieve the span lengths desired. Unfortunately, these extrusions were much more expensive and resulted in increased failure rates and actually resulted in increased costs.
There is, therefore, a need to provide an improved box beam that overcomes one or more problems of the prior art.